hammacher



no Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. HAMMAGHER. PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BIGYOLES.

No. 590,413. Patented Sept. 21, 1897'.-

IN VENTOH (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. HAMMACHER. PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BIGYGLES. No. 590,413.

Patented Sept. 21, 1897.

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UNITED STATES \VILHELM HAMMACHER, O

PATENT OFFICE.

F VVIESBADEN, GERMANY.

PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,413, dated September 21, 1897. Application filed January 28, 1897. Serial No. 621,060. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILHELM HAMMAOHER, a citizen of Germany, residing at Wilhelm Strasse 34:, lViesbaden, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Propelling Mechanism for Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the means for propelling bicycles.

Heretofore in propelling bicycles the combination of hand and foot power did not produce satisfactory results, for the reason that the steering of the bicycle by the combination of the two powers was rendered less effective.

The object of this invention is to furnish a bicycle in which the propulsion is accomplished by hand and foot power without impairing the easy steering of the bicycle; and the invention consists in the propelling device for bicycles to be hereinafter described, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved bicycle. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the front part; Fig. 4, a detail vertical transverse section of the double bevel gear-wheel on the front fork and the connections of the same with the adjacent parts. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower half of the double bevel-wheel. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section showing a modified form of the motion -transmitting double bevel gear-wheel on the front fork, in which the wheel is shown of one piece. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the clutch mechanism used in connection with the double bevel gearwheel. Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 7, partly in section. Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing the stop mechanism,and Fig. 10 is the stoppin of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, a a are the handle-bars, which turn on a horizontal shaft A. This shaft is supported in journal-bearings at the upper ends of two inclined braces 17 b and also in bearings of the upper end of the horizontal stop-rod c, as shown in Fig. 3. 0n

the front fork is arranged at the left-hand side a bevel gear-wheel cl, which is keyed to a shaft D, journaled in the fork and which is operated by a connecting-rod e, that is hinged at its upper end to one of the handlebars a and connected at its lower end with a crank-pin e on the bevel gear-wheel cl, and which bevel-wheel is set in rotary motion by the raising or lowering of the handle-bar a. At the opposite end of the shaft D is applied 6 and which is arranged at an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees to the crank-pin e on the bevel gear-wheel d. The crank f is connected by a connecting-rod c with the second handle-bar a, asshown in Fig. 3.

For transmitting the rotary motion of the bevel gear-wheel d to the sprocket-wheel on the rear axle, from the spindle of the front fork, without impairing the steering capacity of the bicycles a bevel gear-wheel H is arranged, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, on the spindle so that it can freely turn around the same. This bevel gear-wheel H can either be made solid in one piece and provided with a double bevel-gear arranged at suitable angles of inclination to each other, as shown in Fig. 6, or it can be made of two sections h h, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, which are locked together by a suitable clutch mechanism and which forms the main novel feature of my invention. The geometrical center of the bevel gear-wheel H is located in line with the axis of the spindle of the front fork of the bicycle. Then the bevel gear-wheel H is made of two sections it h, an inverted cone p is screwed upon the spindle Z of the front fork, as shown in Fig. 4, and provided in its upper surface with an annular groove, in which antifriction-balls, that serve for the support of the upper half h of the double bevel gear-wheel, are supported, while on the upper side of the bevel gear-wheel h a collar 2', that is secured to the spindle Z, prevents the double bevel gear-wheel H from moving in upward direction. Between the upper half 72 of the bevel gear-wheel H and the stop-colfriction-balls, which reduce the friction between these two parts.

The lower section h of the double bevel gear-wheel H rests on a clutch-ring q, between which and the lower section 72/ is arranged a third series of antifriction-balls.

a crank f, which is shown in Figs. 2, 3, and

lar z' are again arranged a number of anti- IOO By the clutch-ring q the lower section h of the double bevel gear-wheel H can be interlocked with the upper section it or removed from the same, so that the parts are either placed in or out of mesh, whereby the power of, the arms of the rider can be either transmitted or not, as required.

The double bevel gear-wheel H being arranged loosely on the spindle of the front fork and movable on the same has a perfectly smooth and easy motion owing to the arrangement of the antifriction-balls between the different parts and permits the unimpeded turning of the front fork and its spindle. In-- stead of the clutch-ring q a supporting-collar q is used in the modification shown in Fig. 6. The double gear-wheel H serves to transmit the power exerted by the arms of the rider on the handle-bars Ct at from the front part to the rear part of the bicycle, inasmuch as the lower section h of said double bevel gearwheel meshes with the bevel gear-wheel cl, while the upper section of the double bevel gear-wheel H meshes with the teeth of a small pinion 'm, which is arranged at the upper end of a tubular shaft 072-, that turns in bearings of the frame F and which carries at the lower end a pinion n, which meshes with a bevel gear-wheel n on the sprocket-wheel 0 of the crank-shaft.

By the arrangement described the power of the arms, as well as the power of the legs, is transmitted to the sprocket-wheel o, from which both powers are transmitted by the usual sprocket-chain and sprocket-wheel to the rear wheel.

For permitting and facilitating the use of the hand-power the double bevel gear-wheel H is, as before stated, preferably divided into two parts It 7t. These two parts are provided at their circumference with bevel-teeth and are coupled by means of three ribs r, which are arranged on the lower section It and which engage three corresponding recesses in the adjacent surface of the upper section h, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The ribs 1", as well as the recesses with which they engage, are made of triangular cross-section at the points of contact with each other.

When the clutch-ring q is lowered, the section h is compelled, by means of the angular connecting-pins 72, to follow this motion, whereby the ribs 1" are removed from the corresponding recesses in the upper section h, so that the upper section of the double bevel gear-wheel remains stationary even when the lower section it continues its rotary motion. The lower section 71 is annularly grooved at its interior, so that the pins h which project thereinto, will permit the rotation of said section.

For avoiding any unnecessary motion when the hand-power is not to be used a stop device is provided which is only called into action whenthe two-handle-bars are on a level with each other. For this purpose the bevel gear-wheel cl is provided with a hole d at its rear side, which is engaged by one end of a stop-pin y, as shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, as soon as the clutch-ring q is lowered, so that not only a further rotary motion of the double bevel gear-wheel, but also the oscillating motion of the handlebars connected therewith for imparting a propelling motion to the bicycle, is prevented.

The motion of the clutch-ring q and the motion of the stop-pin y connected therewith are accomplished by the lever-rod s, which is connected at t rigidly with the horizontal fork it. In the ends u n of the fork u is suspended a clutch-ring q, so that the same can move in upward and downward direction, as well as slightly in sidewise direction, following the natural pressure of the intermeshing bevel-wheels cl and H. The lower section h of the double bevel gear-wheel H has during its uncoupling motion from the upper section h a downward -inclined motion, during which it is partly guided by the inverted cone 1). The fork to of the clutch-ring q permits the twofold motion just described in downward direction, as it is supported on a vertical pivot-pin w, located on a rock-shaft c, which turns by its pivot-pins in bearings of the inclined braces Z) Z), as shown clearly in Fig. 8. The lower section h of the double bevel gear-wheel H is not withdrawn entirely from the teeth of the bevel-wheel cl, but

slides merely along the same to some extent in downward direction. By this arrangement it is possible to return the lower section h when it is to be coupled with the upper section 7L to the former position toward the bevelwheel 01, as well as toward the upper section h, which position it had before the uncoupling, or, in other words, the position of the handlebars remains in the same harmonic relation to the cranks before and after the coupling and uncoupling of the sections h h of the double bevel gear-wheel H.

At the lower end of the rod sis arranged a rock-arm s, which is connected with the angle-lever 00, that turns on a fixed pivot w. The angle-lever or has an enlargement or bulge 00 which engages a recess of the stopbolt y, so as to compel the same to follow its motion. lVhen the lower section h of the double bevel gear-wheel H is uncoupled, the upward motion of the rod 8 produces the motion of the lower end of the latter, so that the arm 3' is rocked, which thereby moves the angle-lever m in forward direction, whereby the engagement of the stop-pin y in the hole 61'' is produced as soon as the latter is located opposite to the same. The stop-pin y is actuated by means of a helical spring, as shown in Fig. 9, the tension of which acts on the mechanism connected therewith mainly by pressing the lower section h of the bevelwheel H against the upper section h if the former is not pressed by the lever-rod s in lateral and downward direction.

Having thus described my invention, what I clainnas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In propelling mechanism for bicycles, the combination with f ulcrumed handle-bars, of a double gear-wheel sleeved on the front fork, a gear-wheel located on the front fork and below said double gear-wheel and meshing with the lower series of teeth of the double gear-wheel, means for connecting said latter gear-wheel with the handles, for turning the latter, a shaft provided with a pinion meshing with the upper series of teeth of the double wheel, and means for transmitting motion from the said shaft to the drivingwheel, substantially as set forth.

2. In propelling mechanism for bicycles, the combination with fulcrumed handle-bars, of a double gear-wheel sleeved on the front fork, a gear-wheel located on the front fork and below said double gear-wheel and meshing with the lower series of teeth of the double wheel, and driven directly from the handle-bars, a pinion meshing with the upper series of teeth of the double wheel, and mounted on a shaft journaled in bearings of the main frame, a bevel gear-wheel on the rear end of said shaft, and an intermeshing bevel gearwheel on the pedal-shaft of the foot driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. In propelling mechanism for bicycles, the combination with the double bevel gearwheel consisting of two suitably-mounted and independent sections each having a series of bevel-teeth,mechanism for rotating the wheel from the handle-bars, and means for transmitting motion from the double wheel to the driving-wheel of the bicycle, of a clutch mechanism for coupling the two sections of the double wheel together or for uncoupling them, substantially as set forth.

4. In propelling mechanism for bicycles, the combination with a double bevel gearwheel consisting of two independent toothed sections mounted on the front fork and adapted to be interlocked, mechanism for rotating said double wheel from the handle-bars, and means for transmitting motion from the double wheel to the driving-wheel of the bicycle, of a clutch-ring for withdrawing the lower section from the upper section of the double wheel, and a rod connected with the clutch ring and extending upward toward the handle-bars, substantially as set forth.

5. In propelling mechanism for bicycles, the combination with a double bevel gearwheelformed of two independent toothed sections adapted to be coupled, mechanism for rotating said double wheel from the handlebars, and means for transmitting motion from the double wheel to the driving-wheel of the bicycle, of a hand-operated rod, means for connecting the same with the lower section of the double wheel and a stop-pin operated by said rod, and adapted to lock the handlebars in their intermediate position for the purpose of holding them there when the hand power has been removed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILHELM HAMMAOHER.

\Vitnesses:

W. HAUSING, H. ANDRES. 

